Lifestyle

Immersing yourself in swimming, biking, and running. Race reports, the real story of life as a age grouper, and how we make sports a part of life.

35k – 41.0 kph – 19/57 OA – 9/28 AG Lead-up In addition to cutting out triathlons this season, I also cut out bike races. Basically, apart from fun rides and duathlons, I didn’t do a lot of racing. So, Windsor at the end of the season was a perfect opportunity with my boys racing…

1.5k / 40k / 10k – 2:23:57 – 50/347 OA, 9/24 AG Lead-up So I figured I should probably do a triathlon this year. It had essentially been a full year since I did Lakeside Olympic distance in 2:23 last year. Having concentrated more on duathlon as well as road cycling this year, I knew…

Subtitle: We’re not in Kansas (or Ontario) Anymore Toto 9.3k / 33.8k / 5.5k – 2:06:51 – 178/287 OA, 26/29 AG Warning: This is going to be a long one, so pour yourself a coffee, grab some peanuts, and come along for the ride! Lead-Up So a bit of background is in order as to…

I’ve had the Turas Mor on my radar the last year or two, but this is the first year it worked out. Advertised as a fun gravel ride with a classic vibe and free beer, what more could you want? A bit of a drive up from London to get to the town of Creemore,…

5k/26k/5k – 1:26:25 – 12th OA, 5th AG Lead Up The first multisport race of the season is a new one in the Ontario calendar. The Run Waterloo series is a well established and well organized series (I’ve run a few of their events in the past), and this is the first year they have…

I’ve learned to trust Craig Linton’s judgement, when he recommends something I know it’s going to be good (like triathlons, for instance). However, I was sceptical about Paris 2 Ancaster (P2A) because while he said it’s incredible fun, I’ve heard buzz about broken bodies, broken bikes, cramped legs, and mud, lots of mud. But hey,…

2017 was a good year of swimming, biking, and running. The focus of the year was really just to be a build year as I continue to creep closer to age group podiums. The 3-4 year plan is still qualification for age group triathlon world championships at the Olympic/international distance. I wanted to be consistent…

Lead-up So my long-term goal has been to qualify for the Age Group World Championships at the Olympic (standard) distance triathlon. However, as my swim continues to need work, I know there are a few years to go still. That said, I had a bit of a surprise last year when a triathlon got switched to…

126.4km, 3:26:10, 36.8kph – First rider back The Ride Across the County of Elgin (R.A.C.E.) was, ironically, not a race. However, it was an intense enough ride that it warrants a report. Background This event was a fundraiser ride for the United Way Elgin St Thomas, and it was the first time the event was…

18:24 – 5th overall, 3rd age group I did something I never thought I would do. But before I tell you about that, I need to go back a bit. The tough part when describing what a life moment means to you, is how far back do you go to provide context? I was born…

Olympic – 2:23:21 (PB) – 22nd overall, 4th age group Lead up This race wasn’t originally a part of my calendar. However, a bit of a knee injury meant I couldn’t race Bracebridge, but as it’s part of the Multisport Canada series, I could just switch my registration to Lakeside. This is a definite benefit…

Olympic – 2:24:57 – 6th overall, 3rd in age group Lead up If there’s one thing I’ve learned about knee pain, there’s nothing to be gained from sitting around doing nothing. So, after the Bluewater blow-out, I jumped straight into physio to get it sorted. I also followed up on a bone chip that was…

Olympic – 2:15:07, 18th overall, 4th age group Lead up With a sprint distance PB a few weeks before, and a 10k run PB earlier in the spring, things were looking particularly good for the lead up. I’ve been swimming with a new masters swim team and really feel I’ve been building technique as well…

After a rather dismal DNF at the Springbank Road Races, I was seeking some redemption at the K-W Classic, which was also serving as the Ontario Provincial Championships. I had been able to make it out to 3 local crit/road race events with the London Centennial Wheelers in the interim, and felt like the experience…

Sprint – 1:06:11 (PB), 20th overall, 4th age group Lead up Coming off a 5k PB the weekend before, I knew I was in good shape. I had also been swimming 5x per week over the winter, and doing a load of cycling. With a previous sprint distance PB of 1:12:56, I knew this was…

5k, 19:19 (PB), 1st overall Um, you guys, I won my first running race!!! This race was a complete whim. It was Father’s Day, so the week before I looked around to see if there were any races to do, but also wanted to get in my long run. Seeing a 5k at our local…

Road cycling is rather legendary for its rules, and when we say rules, we’re talking about the Velominati Rules. Now, these rules range in seriousness, and adherence to them varies, but they are a common point of reference for how to ride a bike as professionally as possible. However, are these rules applicable to triathletes…

Although I had raced the Tour de Terra Cotta beginner category last year, this was my first legitimate, licensed road race. Racing in the M3 category (over 35 years of age, and the slowest category), I felt I had a reasonable chance to stay with the bunch even though past races were in the 38-40…

10k, 39:25 (PB), 8th overall, 2nd age group Lead up To be honest, things went a bit off the rails after a slower than expected showing at the Run for Retina 10k three weeks prior. I let the frustration get to me and my diet slipped significantly, along with negative self-talk. However, I was still…

Result: 40:48 – 6th overall; 2nd age group While the rest of the world is starting (or ending) duathlon and triathlon season, up here in the great white north of Canada, running season is kicking off. Forest City Road Race has been a consistent one for me for a few years now, so it’s become…

In addition to nifty engineering and excellent triathlon bikes, the Toronto Bike Show featured some head-turning paint schemes. Below are a few that stood out: Garneau This colour fade scheme is one of a limited series with customizable colour options. It definitely makes for a stand-out bike, and also featured a helmet with matching colour fade…

This Mavic Aero wheel/tire combo: I mean, just look how perfectly that tire transitions to that rim. This is called the CX-01 removable blade and it looks absolute perfection. This is a great example of using whiz engineering to solve issues people consider unsolvable at first glance, such as that bit of transition from tire…

This series covers things that caught my eye at the Toronto Bike Show, spring 2017. First of, triathlon/time trial bikes. BMC timemachine This new version of the BMC timemachine, particularly with the SRAM Red eTap, was an absolute stunner. Obviously, the bright yellow paint featured in making this a noticeable bike, but I was also…

Although triathletes are a very diverse bunch, common amongst us is the desire to be healthy. This usually extends beyond physical activity and includes multiple aspects of everyday living, not the least of which is what we eat. Whether the goal is best performance, overall healthy living, or weight loss, triathletes are drawn to considerations…

Race t-shirts are a wonderful perk of cycling, running, and triathlon races. With a wide variety of materials, designs, and colours, there are bound to be a number that become a regular part of your training. Some are even passable for everyday wear! However, the more you race, the more they start to pile up. Early…

I have been year-round bike commuting in Canada for just shy of 3 years, and fair-weather commuting for a couple years before that. I decided to take the leap after someone totaled my car and have been nothing but happy with the choice. Here are my top 10 reasons for bike commuting: Free fitness –…

A training partner recently suggested that I rate local races to assist with developing a race schedule. I thought that due to the number of races involved, instead I would give a number of tips for how to develop a race schedule for the season and the factors to consider. Indeed, now is the time…

Juggling triathlon training commitments along with work, school, and relationships can be challenging for all. However, for those with young families, also being an engaged and focused parent adds an additional layer of complexity. Children are a ton of fun and are only young for a short period of time, so you want to spend…

As someone who started into cycling with road riding, I take some offence when comments are made regarding the cycling quality of triathletes. Comments about triathletes being a danger to others on group rides, not knowing how to turn corners, or being poor climbers are definitely over-reaching. However, I do think that triathletes have a…

It seems to be that there’s always that one guy who thinks he’s too good to follow basic group ride etiquette. And I do say ‘guy’, because this seems to be an affliction affecting men far more frequently than women. You’ve probably seen this guy on your local rides: everyone is riding two-up and he…

Tragedy has struck the Canadian cycling community as pro cyclist Ellen Watters has died from her injuries after being struck by a car on a training ride Dec 23rd. Ellen had a great season this past year with The Cyclery OPUS Racing team having won the Tour of Battenkill and Tour of Somerville. These performances…

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Life of Tri is managed by Abe Oudshoorn, a professor in the School of Nursing at Western University, and age group triathlete. Abe is dedicated to the swim/bike/run lifestyle, and hopes to share some of that passion with you.